Anything and Everything Fremantle
New Recruits
Dale Alcock appointed to Fremantle Dockers’ board
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Dale Alcock, the Managing Director of one of Australia’s leading home building groups, has been appointed to the board of the Fremantle Dockers for a three-year term.
Alcock, 50, who is the head of the Alcock Brown-Neaves Group, has been a member and corporate partner of the club since 2007. He replaces Wesfarmers CEO and managing director Richard Goyder, who stood down from the board after being appointed to the AFL Commission in September.
Alcock is a third generation builder, who commenced his career as an apprentice bricklayer in 1979 in Kellerberrin. He now oversees the ABN Group building approximately 3000 homes a year and which is ranked second in the Housing Industry Association’s (HIA) Housing Top 100 list.
A former president of the HIA and a winner of the Ernst & Young WA Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Alcock actively promotes and supports social responsibility. He established the ABN Foundation in 2006, which in the past 5 years has donated more than $5.2 million to various causes, including medical research, relief work and the environment.
Rookie Tom Sheridan ready for Freo future
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Could Tom Sheridan be the next Paul Hasleby?
A natural athlete with clean hands, excellent vision and good disposal, Freo’s first round pick in this year’s draft has some similarities with the 208-game Dockers great.
Both players had a basketball background, which Sheridan said helped in the heat of the midfield battle.
“Basketball has been a sport I’ve played all my life and it definitely helps with your decision-making and team orientation,” he said.
Dawson: My best footy is ahead of me
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Former St Kilda defender Zac Dawson, who has moved to Perth with the hope of starting a new career with the Fremantle Dockers, says his best football is ahead of him.
“As a slow maturer, my body is starting to fill out now and I’m quite confident the next two or three years will be my best footy,” he said from Fremantle Oval on Tuesday.
During 2011, the 25-year-old, who played in 77 games for the Saints including three Grand Finals, had been identified by Fremantle recruiters as a possible pick up in the NAB Pre-Season Draft, which will be held on 13 December.
Dawson said a phone call from his former coach Ross Lyon helped convince him to pack his bags and head out West.
“Ross and I have had a pretty good relationship throughout my career – he gave me another chance at St Kilda,” Dawson said of being rookie-listed by the Saints in 2008 after Hawthorn had delisted him in 2006.
“He gave me a call and said ‘are you willing to move across to Fremantle?’.
Dawson looks to drop anchor with Dockers
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While Fremantle unveiled their new AFL draftees on Monday, the focus was more on the training track as former Hawthorn and St Kilda defender Zac Dawson took another step closer to becoming a Docker.
Dawson, who has played 77 games in the top tier, was told at the end of this season that there was no room for him at the Saints, where he played in losing grand final teams in 2009 and 2010.
Former St Kilda coach and new Fremantle boss Ross Lyon is a big admirer of the 25-year-old fullback and taking him in next month’s pre-season draft on December 13 is near certain.
Fremantle’s senior development coach Simon Lloyd is hopeful the move will progress smoothly and he can make a big impact in the west.
“There’s no guarantees, but Zac wants to be a Fremantle player. His girlfriend is looking for work here and he is settling, so we’ll see,” Lloyd said.
“As that tall type of defender, he was part of our list-management strategy and obviously Ross has a fair window of knowledge into Zac Dawson.
“It’s something that hopefully will come to fruition in the coming weeks. Hopefully he ends up a Dockers player.”
Freo unveils new recruits
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Fremantle unveiled the newest five members of its squad at Fremantle headquarters today, with the club’s 2012 draftees joining senior development/assistant coach Simon Lloyd in a media conference.
The three South Australian and two Victorian youngsters, who all now call WA home, handled the cameras and the questions with confidence and understated poise.
Victorian Tom Sheridan, the 16th pick in the National Draft, said he was honoured to be a Fremantle Docker.
“It’s a great club,” he said.
“I can’t wait to get on the track and start training.
“It’s a dream come true to get on a list and come to such a good club.”
Sheridan’s father, Brian, was on Essendon’s list when he was a teenager, but his career was cut short after he broke both his legs in a car accident.
“He went back but the surgeon said any more knocks and he’d be crippled by the time he was 40 or 50.
“It’s an inspirational story for me.”
Mates Forster, Neale go to Freo
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Norwood’s Alex Forster spent this afternoon “hanging out” with close mate Lachie Neale as he tried to take his mind off tonight’s AFL national draft.
Several hours later the 18-year-olds – who grew up together in the state’s south east and were junior teammates at Kybybolite Football Club – learnt they would be continuing their footy journey alongside one another after both were selected by Fremantle.
Forster, a rebounding half-back who played six League games for the Redlegs this year, was taken by the Dockers with pick No. 29, while ball-winning Glenelg midfielder Neale went at pick No. 58.
Dream come true
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New Fremantle draftee Hayden Crozier already had a bit of a connection with his new club: he has tried to model his game around current Freo star Nat Fyfe.
“I just love the way he goes about his football,” Crozier said.
Another thing Crozier has in common with Fyfe is that the pair were both selected by Fremantle as the 20th picks in their respective drafts.
Crozier, who turns 18 next month, was a standout at the NAB AFL Draft Combine, recording the second best result in the running vertical jump test at 91cm.
The 185cm Victorian midfielder can take a great mark, which was highlighted at Patersons Stadium when he took a spectacular grab against WA in the Under 18 championships earlier this year.
“I’m really happy to be on board,” Crozier said.
“You dream as a kid what it would be like to play a game of AFL footy. To think it might be a reality is very exciting.
“I can’t wait to get to WA.”
Draft: what the Dockers say
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In summary
Fremantle has a balanced list and left the NAB AFL Draft with extra options in all areas of the ground. It used three of its picks on midfielders, one on a running defender and another – its second choice – on skilful forward Hayden Crozier, complementing the existing potential at the club.
What the recruiter said
“We’re really happy with our group. We just look to take the best player and we did that with taking a half-forward, a tall back and a couple of midfielders, and we’ll get Zac Dawson in the pre-season draft. The spread we’ve got has been pretty good.” Fremantle list manager Brad Lloyd.
Pick 16: Tom Sheridan, Calder Cannons
Lloyd says: “It’s good to get Tom with our first pick. He’s got really nice endurance and moves really well. He’s a nice, clean player so he was great to get.”
Pick 20: Hayden Crozier, Eastern Ranges
Lloyd says: “He took just about the best mark I’ve ever seen watching any level of footy when he played Western Australia at Subiaco. It’s a real bonus for us to get him.”
Five new recruits dock at Freo
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The Fremantle Dockers have continued the club’s youth policy by adding five teenagers to its list at tonight’s NAB AFL National Draft at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre.
Fremantle was one of only three clubs with three picks under 30, including two in the first round, which were used to secure Victorians Thomas Sheridan (pick 16) and Hayden Crozier (pick 20).
They were followed by South Australian trio Alex Forster (pick 29), Lachie Neale (pick 58) and Cam Sutcliffe (pick 71).
Sheridan, an 18-year-old midfielder, has had a very consistent year, coming second in the Calder Cannons best and fairest despite missing games for his Vic Metro championship commitments.
The 185cm youngster plays as a running midfielder/wingman. His main strength is his endurance.
He is a very smart footballer with extremely clean and quick hands. Sheridan averaged 24.4 touches a game, 4.7 tackles, 3.8 clearances and four marks per game at TAC level.
Pick 71: Cam Sutcliffe
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South Australian Cam Sutcliffe is Freo’s final pick in the Draft after the club passed on pick 72.
Pick 71 – Cam Sutcliffe – 17yrs, 187cm – Cam has been playing for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL. He played 9 League and 12 reserves games this year. He is very balanced running midfielder with exceptional work rate. He reads the game very well and is very good at stoppages with his hands. His spread from stoppages is exceptional. He is a terrific character and the hardest trainer at the Eagles. Cam averaged 19.6 disposals a game at SANFL Reserves level. Cam tested exceptionally across the board at the state combine: 81 Running VJ. 3.02 20m time. 8.11 Agility. 24.63 repeat sprint and a 15.3 beep.
Pick 71 Fact – The Western Bulldogs picked up their current star full-back Brian Lake at pick 71 in the 2001 National Draft.
Other notable pick 71s
Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide 2006)
